Jeff Seeley's Social Software Learning Environment (SSLE)
Last Updated - 12:33 AM, Mon, 27 Apr 09
Design Idea
I will create a collaborative learning environment (CLE) for Boy Scouts of America (BSA) Scoutmasters and Scouters leading northern Virginia Boy Scout troops. I want Scoutmasters to learn and share best practices in Boy Scouting. Frequently, Scoutmasters and Scouters have little interaction with each other and must learn best practices on their own or through infrequent meetings or training with other adult Scouters.
Through participation in this CLE, the Scoutmasters will present, share, discuss and learn solutions to many common problems and needs of troops in northern Virginia.
I have located some other SSLEs that incorporate several tools I propose for my CLE:
The audience I seek is the hundreds of BSA Scoutmasters and their assistants leading troops in northern Virginia.
My SSLE will provide an online resource for Scoutmasters and their assistants to learn about and share information on common leadership, discipline, advancement, logistics and camping problems with other troop leaders in northern Virginia.
My audience will be able to participate in the SSLE anytime through asynchronous communications and collaboration with other users.
Once they become aware of the website, Scoutmasters and their assistants will want to join (or subscribe to) the SSLE to learn and share Boy Scout troop management and best practices information.
The Scoutmasters and their assistants may choose to unsubscribe to (or leave) the SSLE when they terminate their relationship with BSA.
Scoutmasters and their assistants will learn about and share information on common leadership, discipline, advancement, logistics and camping problems with other troop leaders in northern Virginia. They will want to participate in the SSLE because it is a no-cost, user-friendly, easy-access and interesting online resource for sharing BSA troop leadership information.
Because of the wide variety of ages, computer skills and experience of volunteer Scoutmasters and their assistants, the SSLE will contain structured and unstructured content on BSA news articles, plans, ideas, links and feeds that require minimal user interface skills.
My SSLE will contain links to numerous Web articles, audio/visual presentations and other social software tools like blogs, RSS and YouTube social media. The SSLE will not require user help files.
Copyright concerns will be addressed by requesting an author's permission to use a specific article. Links to other open/public websites and RSS feeds do not require copyright permissions.
I will use PageFlake start tool as my base tool and include a blog, RSS news feeds, interactive bookmarks, video, interactive calendar, podcast and an Open Educational Resource (OER).
The homepage will include an introduction to the site, its goals and a table of contents.
Dynamic RSS news feeds will include BSA National Council news about Scouting, New York Times articles on Scouting and U.S. Scouting service project news.
A podcast subscription will cover various Boy Scout themes and programs.
An interactive Scouting calendar of events will be included.
An interactive bookmarking feature will guide users to useful BSA resources on the Web.
A blog will provide users with an opportunity to ask questions and discuss Scouting matters.
My SSLE will cover several Scouting topics: • Camping sites and equipment • Videos on BSA • Scoutmaster Musings - Thoughts from a Scoutmaster • Health and Safety • Leadership • Merit badges and advancement • Clipart • Scouting books
I chose the pageflake-based SSLE because it offers significant flexibility for adding and tailoring several types of Web 2.0 tools that I will use including a blog, RSS news feeds and podcasts, bookmarking, email, video attachments and personally designed/tailored pageflakes for website access.
My SSLE will include (a) dynamic RSS news aggregate feeds for easy access to current BSA news, (b) a podcast subscription that covers Boy Scout themes and programs, (c) an interactive BSA calendar to plan current events, (d) an interactive Scouting resources bookmarking feature and (e) a Scouter blog.
Well-designed pageflake widgets can be easily tailored to access, manage and publish many types of media content including YouTube and other videos, dynamic RSS news feeds, podcasts, interactive blogs, bookmarking and author-tailored pageflakes for information presentation and website access.
I reviewed my SSLE and determined that the numerous small pieces of tools, feeds, widgets and resources are well organized to meet the learning goals and information-sharing requirements of Virginia Boy Scout troops Scoutmasters and Scouters to learn and share best practices in Boy Scouting. The well-labeled pageflake pages are (1) organized by major topics, (2) are easily accessible and (3) address many different Scouting knowledge areas using several Web 2.0 technologies.
I revised my SSLE several times by developing several new pages when I built too much content on one page. I thoroughly examined, screened, added and deleted many online Scouting resources as I built my final SSLE. I added an environmental theme, bright colors, much white space and some humor to my SSLE to make it interesting, entertaining and useful.
A peer review of my SSLE prototype determined some misunderstandings and errors: (1) my SSLE prototype needed to better address and indicate its intended audience (i.e., Scouters and not Scouts, their parents or volunteers); (2) there was some concern on why I choose to place just links and not URLs on my SSLE. I prefer not to display long URLs; (3) some inoperative links on my SSLE prototype were identified and repaired; and (4) there was a problem with an annoying music loop that accompanied the Camping Game on the Humor page. The problem was fixed.
I could improve my SSLE in the future by (1) adding more interactive tools and widgets, (2) locating and adding more Scouting resources and (3) adding more visual components.
The Home page contains (1) an animated slideshow tour of the website and (2) a title box
Content 1 - Open Educational Resource (OER) Content Item
RSS/OPML National Boy Scout news feed (located on Home page)
RSS/OPML Scouting news feed from New York Times (located on Home page)
RSS/OPML Scouting news feed from U.S. Scouting Service Project (located on Home page)
RSS/OPML National Capital Area Council Calendar (located on Home page)
RSS/OPML Scoutmaster Musings (located on Home page)
RSS/OPML Scouting Safely news feed from U.S. Scouting Service Project (located on Health and Safety page) RSS/OPML Boy Scout trail new resources (located on Camping & Resources page)
Wikitravel archive article on Leave No Trace Camping Guide w/attached Creative Commons license (located on Camping & Resources page)
Content 2 – Embedded Social Media Content Item
YouTube video on parents talking about Scouting (located on Audio & Video page)
Google Docs animated slideshow tour of the website (located on Home page)
Interactive/Two-Way Communication Widgets
Scouters blog (located on Home page)
Scouters calendar (located on Home page)
Boy Scout websites as bookmarks (located on Home page)
Flash-based camping game (located on Humor page)
Driving directions to camp (located on Camping & Resources page)
One-way Communications Gadget
Scouter podcast (RSS) on various Boy Scout themes and programs (located on Audio & Video page)
Quote of the day (located on Home page)
Links
Several located on the (1) Camping & Resources page, (2) Health and Safety page and (3) Leadership and Advancement page
Jeff Seeley's Social Software Learning Environment (SSLE)
Last Updated - 12:33 AM, Mon, 27 Apr 09
Design Idea
I will create a collaborative learning environment (CLE) for Boy Scouts of America (BSA) Scoutmasters and Scouters leading northern Virginia Boy Scout troops. I want Scoutmasters to learn and share best practices in Boy Scouting. Frequently, Scoutmasters and Scouters have little interaction with each other and must learn best practices on their own or through infrequent meetings or training with other adult Scouters.
Through participation in this CLE, the Scoutmasters will present, share, discuss and learn solutions to many common problems and needs of troops in northern Virginia.
I have located some other SSLEs that incorporate several tools I propose for my CLE:
http://www.boyscouttrail.com/content/award/award-236.asp
http://www.wikinomics.com/blog/index.php/2008/06/10/be-prepared-goes-open-source-the-boy-scouts-of-america/
http://whurley.com/2008/06/09/computerworld-boy-scouts-of-america-look-to-open-source-community-for-help/
Additionally, the international Scouting website, http://scoutmaster.org/ and the national http://www.scouting.org/ website have RSS feeds with few other dynamic resources.
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Audience
The audience I seek is the hundreds of BSA Scoutmasters and their assistants leading troops in northern Virginia.
My SSLE will provide an online resource for Scoutmasters and their assistants to learn about and share information on common leadership, discipline, advancement, logistics and camping problems with other troop leaders in northern Virginia.
My audience will be able to participate in the SSLE anytime through asynchronous communications and collaboration with other users.
Once they become aware of the website, Scoutmasters and their assistants will want to join (or subscribe to) the SSLE to learn and share Boy Scout troop management and best practices information.
The Scoutmasters and their assistants may choose to unsubscribe to (or leave) the SSLE when they terminate their relationship with BSA.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Content
Scoutmasters and their assistants will learn about and share information on common leadership, discipline, advancement, logistics and camping problems with other troop leaders in northern Virginia. They will want to participate in the SSLE because it is a no-cost, user-friendly, easy-access and interesting online resource for sharing BSA troop leadership information.
Because of the wide variety of ages, computer skills and experience of volunteer Scoutmasters and their assistants, the SSLE will contain structured and unstructured content on BSA news articles, plans, ideas, links and feeds that require minimal user interface skills.
My SSLE will contain links to numerous Web articles, audio/visual presentations and other social software tools like blogs, RSS and YouTube social media. The SSLE will not require user help files.
Copyright concerns will be addressed by requesting an author's permission to use a specific article. Links to other open/public websites and RSS feeds do not require copyright permissions.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Format
I will use PageFlake start tool as my base tool and include a blog, RSS news feeds, interactive bookmarks, video, interactive calendar, podcast and an Open Educational Resource (OER).
The homepage will include an introduction to the site, its goals and a table of contents.
Dynamic RSS news feeds will include BSA National Council news about Scouting, New York Times articles on Scouting and U.S. Scouting service project news.
A podcast subscription will cover various Boy Scout themes and programs.
An interactive Scouting calendar of events will be included.
An interactive bookmarking feature will guide users to useful BSA resources on the Web.
A blog will provide users with an opportunity to ask questions and discuss Scouting matters.
My SSLE will cover several Scouting topics: • Camping sites and equipment • Videos on BSA • Scoutmaster Musings - Thoughts from a Scoutmaster • Health and Safety • Leadership • Merit badges and advancement • Clipart • Scouting books
I chose the pageflake-based SSLE because it offers significant flexibility for adding and tailoring several types of Web 2.0 tools that I will use including a blog, RSS news feeds and podcasts, bookmarking, email, video attachments and personally designed/tailored pageflakes for website access.
My SSLE will include (a) dynamic RSS news aggregate feeds for easy access to current BSA news, (b) a podcast subscription that covers Boy Scout themes and programs, (c) an interactive BSA calendar to plan current events, (d) an interactive Scouting resources bookmarking feature and (e) a Scouter blog.
Well-designed pageflake widgets can be easily tailored to access, manage and publish many types of media content including YouTube and other videos, dynamic RSS news feeds, podcasts, interactive blogs, bookmarking and author-tailored pageflakes for information presentation and website access.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Evaluation and Refinement
I reviewed my SSLE and determined that the numerous small pieces of tools, feeds, widgets and resources are well organized to meet the learning goals and information-sharing requirements of Virginia Boy Scout troops Scoutmasters and Scouters to learn and share best practices in Boy Scouting. The well-labeled pageflake pages are (1) organized by major topics, (2) are easily accessible and (3) address many different Scouting knowledge areas using several Web 2.0 technologies.
I revised my SSLE several times by developing several new pages when I built too much content on one page. I thoroughly examined, screened, added and deleted many online Scouting resources as I built my final SSLE. I added an environmental theme, bright colors, much white space and some humor to my SSLE to make it interesting, entertaining and useful.
A peer review of my SSLE prototype determined some misunderstandings and errors: (1) my SSLE prototype needed to better address and indicate its intended audience (i.e., Scouters and not Scouts, their parents or volunteers); (2) there was some concern on why I choose to place just links and not URLs on my SSLE. I prefer not to display long URLs; (3) some inoperative links on my SSLE prototype were identified and repaired; and (4) there was a problem with an annoying music loop that accompanied the Camping Game on the Humor page. The problem was fixed.
I could improve my SSLE in the future by (1) adding more interactive tools and widgets, (2) locating and adding more Scouting resources and (3) adding more visual components.
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Construction of Jeff Seeley’s (EDIT 772) Social Software Learning Environment (SSLE) Prototype as Completed Requirements
Base Tool
The SSLE front-end system base tool is a PageFlake start page located at: http://www.pageflakes.com/jseel/26436369
Introductory Slideshow and Prototype Title Box
The Home page contains (1) an animated slideshow tour of the website and (2) a title box
Content 1 - Open Educational Resource (OER) Content Item
RSS/OPML National Boy Scout news feed (located on Home page)
RSS/OPML Scouting news feed from New York Times (located on Home page)
RSS/OPML Scouting news feed from U.S. Scouting Service Project (located on Home page)
RSS/OPML National Capital Area Council Calendar (located on Home page)
RSS/OPML Scoutmaster Musings (located on Home page)
RSS/OPML Scouting Safely news feed from U.S. Scouting Service Project (located on Health and Safety page) RSS/OPML Boy Scout trail new resources (located on Camping & Resources page)
Wikitravel archive article on Leave No Trace Camping Guide w/attached Creative Commons license (located on Camping & Resources page)
Content 2 – Embedded Social Media Content Item
YouTube video on parents talking about Scouting (located on Audio & Video page)
Google Docs animated slideshow tour of the website (located on Home page)
Interactive/Two-Way Communication Widgets
Scouters blog (located on Home page)
Scouters calendar (located on Home page)
Boy Scout websites as bookmarks (located on Home page)
Flash-based camping game (located on Humor page)
Driving directions to camp (located on Camping & Resources page)
One-way Communications Gadget
Scouter podcast (RSS) on various Boy Scout themes and programs (located on Audio & Video page)
Quote of the day (located on Home page)
Links
Several located on the (1) Camping & Resources page, (2) Health and Safety page and (3) Leadership and Advancement page